25 February 2013

Speed blogging

The Dutch don't fuck around on flood control -- they move people out of the way. The Chinese don't either, but their moves lack social legitimacy because they favor special interests (e.g., Beijing) instead of the nation as a whole.

As a follow up on this 2009 post, Walter Bauer sent this video (WMV, right click to save) that describes how "nanobubbles" on water molecules will reduce deposits on pipes, etc. and thus contamination. Love to hear what chemists and engineers think of this.*

A good study [pdf] of the cross-subsidies from urban to ag users (on cost and quality) in Florida. They wouldn't grow sugar if farmers paid their share of costs.

Interesting description of how residents in Davis, CA changed their water tariffs to pay for capital improvements. It would have been simpler if they just shifted to 100% uniform rate volumetric pricing, but that would annoy managers who like stable cash flows.

H/Ts to CB and RM
* In response to my questions on how nanobubbles work and what the product costs, Walter says:

We are measuring our nanobubble sizes and density this week in Japan and we should have pictures of them on our web site shortly. Nanobubbes if they are negatively charged may bond to the water molecules and create an overall paramagnetic effect. In particular this has been demonstrated via NMR T2 testing with our nanobubbles from the Bauer Processor. The cost of treatment is actually an immediate payback in water treatment. The beneficial outcomes are due to the fact that the nanobubbles enable any water system to be able to operate under proper controlled conditions without biofouling which dramatically reduces overall operating costs including power, water consumption and chemicals. In reality it now makes great economic sense to operate any water system with the inclusion of our technology.